Sweet Homecoming for sturdy Barons

By Mike Moseley

SoVaNow.com / October 23, 2013

After a rugged three-game road stint, the Bluestone varsity football team returned to Baron Stadium on Friday to take on the Cumberland Dukes on Homecoming Night and triumphed in a very tight game, 20-16.

Most people who follow the Barons couldn’t recall the last time the team won for Homecoming, possibly in the early 90s — so the victory was extra sweet for all concerned.

Both teams played solid, hard-nosed football, with Bluestone’s defense doing a great job of keeping Cumberland’s offense in check.

Josh Briggs led the defense with nine tackles, O’Von Bullock followed with seven. Deion Mosley and Robert Stevenson had five tackles each. Kevin Cheatham recorded four tackles on the night. The Barons had seven sacks for 35 yards.

The Barons’ offensive line play was also better than in previous games, providing some pretty good blocking for the running backs and QB.

Baron quarterback Trey Watson was three-of-nine on his pass attempts for 37 yards. He also rushed for 19 yards.

Between both teams, a total of 20 penalties were called on the night. Bluestone had 11 penalties totaling 75 yards. Cumberland was called for nine penalties, also totaling 75 yards.

Bluestone got a great start on defense, causing Cumberland to fumble on its first possession. The Barons weren’t able to score any points on the turnover, but it did help set the tone for the defense throughout the game.

Deion Mosley scored the Barons’ first TD of the night with 4:25 left in the first quarter. The Barons remained ahead 8-0 until Cumberland tied the scored at the 9:04 mark of the second quarter.

Bluestone scored on its next possession after the 90-yard kickoff return by Keith Patrick to the Cumberland five. QB Trey Watson scored the TD with 7:29 left in the half.

The Dukes regained the edge when they scored with a little over four minutes remaining before halftime. Cumberland went for the two-point conversion and made it for a 16-14 lead that stood up through the first half.

After a great halftime performance by the Marching Barons, Deion Mosley was named Bluestone’s Homecoming King and Keyaria Fuller was crowned the new Homecoming Queen. Jenna Harris was named the 11th grade princess.

Opening the third quarter, Bluestone returned the kickoff to the 35. Two downs later, Mosley ran for a first and 10. Mosley carried the ball on the next three plays and finished the set of downs with a first and 10 at Cumberland’s 40.

Briggs got a first down on the next play at the 22, and C.J. Richardson capped off the possession with Bluestone’s final TD with 8:09 left in the third.

The 20-16 score would stand up the rest of the way as neither team produced much offense from this point on. Both teams had several offensive series where they either punted or turned the ball over on downs.

Bluestone ended any hopes of a Cumberland comeback when, with a little under two minutes left in the game, the Baron defense forced the Dukes into a last-ditch fourth-and-10 attempt. Bluestone caused the fumble on the fourth down play and recovered the ball.

The Barons ran out the remainder of the clock to secure the Homecoming victory.

Afterwards, BHS Coach Waverly Jackson said he was happy for the team, his coaching staff and the Baron faithful.

“The kids fought and fought all night long,” Jackson said. “I mean, it was a whole lot of obstacles tonight, but these kids had a great week of practice — and it paid off.”

Jackson told his seniors after the game to go back on the field and savor the victory.

The win raised the Barons’ record to 2-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Barons travel to Farmville on Friday night to take on Prince Edward Eagles.

Game time is 7 p.m.

Game recap

First quarter:

Neither team could get anything going early in the first, but with 4:52 left in the quarter, Bluestone’s Deion Mosley posted the first score of the night.

Starting at the 25, Mosley rumbled to the 36 for a first down. A run by Darious Brooks and a personal foul call put the Barons in great field position at the Dukes’ 35.

A run by Mosley and two more carries by Darius Brooks moved the ball for a first and goal at the five. Brooks carried to the one and Mosley took it in for the TD. The two point attempt by Donovan Mosley was good for the 8-0 score.

Cumberland punted on its next possession, and Bluestone started its drive at the Cumberland 48.

The Barons had a loss on first down and an incomplete pass on second, but the drive was bolstered by a personal foul, facemask call, on the pass play.

Runs by Brooks and Mosley moved the ball to Cumberland’s 31 for a second and four. A low snap on the next play resulted in QB Trey Watson‘s knee touching the ground for a loss and a third and nine.

After an offside call on the Dukes, the Barons were back at the 31, again looking for four yards for the first down.

Second quarter:

Bluestone went on to turn the ball over on downs, but by this time they had controlled the possession for almost six minutes.

Cumberland was looking to score and they moved quickly to accomplish just that.

Starting at their 28, the Dukes took two plays to get a first down at the 39. The Dukes were charged with a delay-of-game, but they came right back with a nice pass to get back to the original line of scrimmage. Facing second and 10, Cumberland went to the air for a 39-yard passing TD.

The two-point conversion was good and the Dukes had the score tied up at eight-all. The Barons were also assessed a 15-yard personal foul on the extra point attempt, which moved the ensuing kickoff to the 45.

On the kickoff, Patrick took the ball at his five and ran 90 yards before being tackled, giving the Barons a first and goal. On third and goal at the one, Watson pounded the ball in for the TD. The two-point attempt was foiled for the 14-8 score with 7:29 left.

Both teams punted on their next possessions, but with approximately four minutes left in the half the Dukes scored. Cumberland began the drive at its 31.

Two downs later the Dukes struck paydirt on 30-yard TD pass. With the two point PAT, Cumberland was able to go into halftime leading 16-14.

Third quarter:

Bluestone took the opening kickoff back to the 35. Mosley gained three first downs off of four plays and set up a first and 10 at the 40.

Josh Briggs took the ball for another first down to the 22-yard line. C.J. Richardson scored the TD at the 8:09 mark. Richardson also scored the two-point conversion for a 20-16 Bluestone lead.

On Cumberland’s next series of plays, Briggs delivered two monster hits to the Dukes — the second being to the QB, which knocked him out for the remainder of the game.

With a new quarterback in for Cumberland, Bluestone’s defense didn’t let him get on track. Mosley, Briggs, Bullock, Stevenson and a few other Barons really started to bring the defensive heat to the Dukes.

Cumberland turned the ball over on downs and Bluestone started at its 10-yard line. The Barons drive bogged down and they punted.

Fourth quarter:

The Dukes entered the fourth quarter on the tail end of a drive and facing a fourth and 15. The Dukes dropped back to punt and the snap was high.

Bluestone took possession of the ball at the 28, although the series ended with the Barons turning over the ball on downs.

Cumberland made a final try at a late TD, but the would-be rally failed as the Barons caused a fumble, recovering the ball and running out the clock out to celebrate the 20-16 Homecoming victory.